West Milford students lead dress drive for prom aid

West Milford High School Interact Club members Mackenzie Porch (L) and Danielle Burns hold dresses donated for an upcoming dress sale at the Hillcrest Community Center. The project is designed to give locals access to affordable prom gowns while raising money for students' prom bids.

Local high school students are tapping into some fairytale inspiration to ensure every belle gets the chance to go to the ball this year.

Since the end of December, West Milford High School's Interact Club has been collecting lightly used gowns from area donors. On Feb. 1 and 2, the club will put them on sale at the Hillcrest Community Center as part of a twofold effort led by the West Milford Rotary Club to lower the costs for local students to attend the prom, the rite of passage for high school seniors.

"We hope to do it each year as a club," senior and event organizer Danielle Burns said. "It's not only raising money to help individuals attend prom, it's giving the community the opportunity to save money on expensive dresses and prom gowns."

Burns, of Lindy's Lake, said she took the reins of the effort after the concept was first broached by school board student representative Sophia Metcalf. It is essentially a derivative of the Cinderella Project, a series of charities dedicated to providing underprivileged students with the resources necessary to attend their high school prom through dress collection and sale programs.

Burns, who plans to attend Lebanon Valley College after graduation, said the club has already managed to get around a dozen dresses in donation boxes at the Hillcrest Community Center and West Milford Township Library. The goal is to nab 40 by the time collection ends on Jan. 31. That way the sale has enough supply and a decent variety, she said.

"We're open to any type of gowns or dresses, even summer dresses, as long as it's something that would be appropriate for a formal or semi-formal," Burns said. "High school is about going to prom and going to these formal dances, but a lot of us can't when money is an issue."

High School Principal Paul Gorski, a member of the local Rotary International branch, said he is proud of the initiative shown by Burns and the entire club as Rotary's school-activity extension.

"It gives me such a great feeling to see the generous spirit of these organizations embodied in our students," Gorski said. "Student leaders like Danielle, as modeled by adults like Interact (Club) advisors Alison Scully and Melissa Welch, realize that one must serve in order to lead. They demonstrate that they are sensitive to the needs of those around them. The Cinderella Project will help make this prom season truly memorable."

While the idea of selling nice dresses for little money to help girls attend prom is novel in itself, all proceeds from the event will go toward funding prom bids and other affiliated expenses on behalf of local students, Burns said. Any dresses that remain after the February sale will go to a Cinderella Project charity in New York, she said.

The club has requested that all donors of lightly used prom, semi-formal, and cocktail dresses include a slip with the size and retail price of the dress to help with sorting. The sale will run from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1 and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 2. Dress prices will range from around $10 to $50, Burns said.

The high school's Rotary Club-sponsored Interact Club is involved in upwards of 30 community service events each year.

They include the municipal tree lighting as well as clothing and blood drives and other fundraisers. Membership is open to all high school students, grades nine through 12.

Visit facebook.com/wmsavetheglassslipper or sites.google.com/site/wmthecinderellaproject for more information on the gown collection effort.